Writer: Ryan Gandolfo
2 min read February 2023 — From trailblazing the start of professional baseball to entering exciting new periods for the city’s pro football and soccer teams, Cincinnati is taking pro sports to a whole new level.
The Cincinnati Bengals have led the charge in Queen City, with deep playoff runs in each of the past two seasons, including a Superbowl appearance. According to Forbes NFL Team Valuations list, the team is worth $3 billion and generated $462 million in revenue during the 2021 season. Cincinnati ranks as the No. 8 best football city for fans — only trailing behind historic football towns such as Pittsburgh and Green Bay and massive markets like Los Angeles and New York City.
The Bengals are an important part of the city’s overall sports industry, which generates over $550 million annually in economic impact for the Greater Cincinnati region, as cited by Cincinnati Business Courier.
The city’s promising professional soccer club, FC Cincinnati, adds an estimated $37 million in annual economic impact from visitor spending. After making the playoffs last year, the club is off to a hot start in 2023 — securing a win in their MLS opener against Houston on Saturday at TQL Stadium.
Earlier this month, the club announced that demolition was underway for the first phase of the $300 million mixed-use district next to TQL Stadium. The district aims to blend retail and offices with public green spaces.
“We intend to make Cincinnati a championship city beyond the soccer season. The district will create a community hub at the front steps of our home field, rooted in history and legacy, that aesthetically inspires and emotionally unites our city with a vision for the future. This holds true to our core values and culture as a team,” said Jeff Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati in a press release.
And as the Cincinnati Reds gear up for opening day next month, a new partnership with BetMGM aims to draw in more fans to the Great American Ball Park. The sportsbook will be located on the northeast side of the stadium and operate year long. “With sports gaming coming to Ohio, the Reds sought to bring the highest quality operator to our ballpark for those fans who choose to participate in sports gaming. BetMGM is renowned for their expertise in entertainment and sports gaming, and we believe their brand best fits our high customer standards and will also help draw visitors to our city,” said Doug Healy, CFO of the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati is the second market to open a BetMGM Sportsbook inside their stadium, joining the sportsbook opened at National Park in Washington D.C. in Jan. 2022.
Whether the Reds will become relevant again as a playoff contender remains to be seen, but the added amenity to the city’s beloved ballpark should boost visitor traffic for the upcoming season and serve as a signal that Cincinnati is ready to play ball.
